The hearing impaired, i.e., people who use hearing aid devices, may experience unique problems with their wireless communication devices. In particular, interference between a wireless communication device and a hearing aid device may be heard by the hearing impaired person. A wireless communication device is considered to be incompatible with hearing aid devices if this interference occurs.
The interference occurs when electromagnetic pulses of transmitter circuitry of a wireless communication device cause an audible noise to be heard via a hearing aid device. The transmitter circuitry of certain phones may generate high electromagnetic energy levels at the ends of the wireless communication device. Since an ear piece of a wireless communication device is commonly position at one end of the device, a hearing aid device worn by a hearing impaired person would be situated adjacent to one end of the device during a call. The high electromagnetic energy level subjected to the hearing aid device degrades the sensitivity and sound quality of the device, causing audible noise to be heard by the hearing impaired person, thus interfering with that person's use of the device.
One solution for achieving hearing aid compatibility is to reduce a wireless communication device's radiation performance significantly which, as a result, would adversely reduces the radiation performance of the device. Another solution is to provide shielding on the hearing aid devices to protect them from any interference, but this burden on the hearing impaired may not be practical or desirable. Thus, there is a need for a wireless communication device that minimizes electromagnetic interference with hearing aid devices while minimizing any adverse effects to the radiation performance of the wireless communication device.